Employee problem,

[steamron]

I will try my best to explain:
Besides doing this carpet cleaning thing, i have always had a janitorial service.
I had this girl (in her 40's) working for me for years.
She always from time to time would call off for stupid reasons, "husband is working late, I got cramps. I don't feel good, I need a day off, etc"
She cleaned OK so I did not mind to a point. I just figured, less of a check for her. Trust me it did bug me, especially if I cleaned all day.

Well, this is what happened. I got a call from an account end of July asking me if I knew what happened to there vacuum it was gone, I told them I did not know.
I called the girl, "I took it, my vacuum broke"
She never did ask anyone to borrow it. I almost flipped shit.
I told her to call that office and tell them anything, but you will take it back today, so she did.

I get a call 2 days later "where's the vacuum?"
I finished a job, so I called her got a stupid response that the bldg. pass did not work. I then went and got it and took it back. I took her pass so that they could check it, it came back as working with no restrictions. NOW she is on thin ice.

With in the next couple weeks of August she calls off twice, so now I get on her about calling off and always wanting her check days ahead of time, and the vacuum story did not hold up once the management company said the pass was good.
She started yelling at me, like I owed her.

So I let her go after almost 12 years or so.

What is the best thing to tell the UC Office since she filing?
The taking of the vacuum, or the yelling at me because I did not give her money a week ahead of time?

Thanks

 

[Kipp]

Did you document every issue you had and have her sign it?

Even if you did she'd probably get unemployment anyway, but it would give you a fighting chance. If you didn't document...you're done.

 

[dgardner]

If you didn't document...you're done.

Yup.

Sounds like a drug or alchohol problem that's slowly getting worse?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Yep, been there.

 

[JS41035]

Yep, been there.

Now the booger green vans make sense.

 

[JS41035]

You kinda created this mess. Not to say it's all your fault. But your responsible for it.
You can ruin a good employee by letting them get away with to much. And it sounds like you did.
Even the best employee has to believe that you would fire them if they crossed the line. The second a vacuum showed up missing. And she ADMITTED it! Gone. Turn in your keys. Turn in your shirts. Be appreciative that your not going to jail.
As far as yelling at you over early pay? One warning. Then terminate the second she raised her voice. I understand how hard it is to find good people. But having guidelines and sticking to them keeps employees from running over you.
If you didn't document every thing. And have a written set of Employee guidelines. Your gonna pay. And it's better to pay, and go on. Be thankful you didn't lose the account.

 

[Brian H]

I agree with what others had said. If you would have terminated her right when she admitted to taking the vacuum, you may have had a case. Once you let her come back to work, you couldn't use that as an excuse for termination unless you were "investigating" her story. Even then it's pretty shaky.

I would still try and fight it using the insubordination angle. Were there witnesses to her verbal assault on you?

 

[Papa John]

she's become a crack head!! dump her NOW!

 

[steamron]

PA UC office came back with ineligible, for dishonesty.

 

[Shane Deubell]

PA UC office came back with ineligible, for dishonesty.

Great to hear!!

I never win...
NYS is tough.

 

[Papa John]

Congats on the Win!

 

[Vivers]

I'm kind of guilty of giving to much slack also

 

[rick imby]

You kinda created this mess. Not to say it's all your fault. But your responsible for it.
You can ruin a good employee by letting them get away with to much. And it sounds like you did.
Even the best employee has to believe that you would fire them if they crossed the line. The second a vacuum showed up missing. And she ADMITTED it! Gone. Turn in your keys. Turn in your shirts. Be appreciative that your not going to jail.
As far as yelling at you over early pay? One warning. Then terminate the second she raised her voice. I understand how hard it is to find good people. But having guidelines and sticking to them keeps employees from running over you.
If you didn't document every thing. And have a written set of Employee guidelines. Your gonna pay. And it's better to pay, and go on. Be thankful you didn't lose the account.

Great post Justin. I have given too much slack to several employees over time and it comes back to bite.

 

[Brian H]

Great post Justin. I have given too much slack to several employees over time and it comes back to bite.

Over the years, I have learned the hard way that it ALWAYS comes back to bite you. The very short pain of terminating that employee that you KNOW is wrong is way better then the long term pain of keeping them.

 

[Jim Pemberton]

What you tolerate for any extended period of time becomes what your employee will see as their "right" later

 

[steve_64]

What you tolerate for any extended period of time becomes what your employee will see as their "right" later

doesnt it also become policy in the eyes of the labor board?

 

[Papa John]

Great post Justin. I have given too much slack to several employees over time and it comes back to bite.

Oh Great! I've given so much slack--that when it comes back to Bite Me-- I'm going to feel like I'm being attacked by Piranhas!

It's just that you cant expect the employees to be as committed as the owners. No body is perfect and the most you can hope for is maybe 80-90% perfection. What matters to me IS-- did they learn from their mistake.

 

[WillS]

After reading through this thread, we are feeling the pain now. First employee we ever hired, we had to let go of today. After several late shows, and 2 no shows, it was time. A few weeks ago he cashed his paycheck and then a girl staying with him stole it and disappeared, and it seemed like it went down hill after that. People have personal problems, but now this kid was bringing them to work with him.

Worst thing about losing an employee... having to sort out jobs to cover with 1 guy while we hire and train. We have 2 other full times on the trucks but, definitely need a 3rd employee back to cover everything. And of course.. this happens during our busiest season, the Holidays.

 

[Desk Jockey]

There is never a good time to lose an employee but you made the right decision. When home problems become work problems they have to move on.

 

[Shane Deubell]

Its ALWAYS personal problems....

Over ohhh 100 interviews you start to learn what to look out for but people are predictably , unpredictable.

 

[bob vawter]

I tell 'em straight up:
if you call in sick....... i wanna see puke in a bag...ask CRASH!
he pulled that sick crap on me ONCE........

when i was a one man band
whether it was the flu OR a hard nite out...I WORKED!

and if you barf....go to the far side of the truck please!